Several Thoughts About The Current State of Translation Science This paper is devoted to the analysis and discussion of current problems concerning translation science and its disciplinary, paradigmatic, conceptual and definitory diversity. Within translation science there are several disciplines of various names which even adopt contradictory definitions of what constitutes translation, what types of translation there are, or they use the names of translation types inconsistently and therefore directly affect the development of translation teaching and its application in practice. Neophilological gravitation can still be observed and it is gradually changing into a new paradigmatic and conceptual gravitation which results in isolation of certain translation researchers and lack of acceptance and appreciation of their work by given academic circles represented by leading figures in similar fields. Consequently, the existing and significant scientific outputs of some Polish researchers in the field of translation science frequently face competition or disapproval of fellow researchers representing opposite views. Such attitudes are to be observed even within a particular neophilological institute at the same university. The paper not only presents critical remarks on the abovementioned issues but also attempts to introduce order into given terminology concerning translation science and to put its sub-disciplines in a given hierarchy. Furthermore, the paper aims at providing clear boundaries between such notions as translation (pol. translacja), translation of written texts (pol. przekład) and interpreting of spoken texts (pol. tłumaczenie). The most significant definitory criterion to be adopted is consistent conception of the process of translation in its strategic, communicative and cognitive dimension.
The term learning environment is a construct perceived by researchers as embracing different aspects of the teaching-learning continuum. It can be described as the physical location where learning occurs: learning in class versus learning beyond it, learning in a home country (with focus on the effects of a learning environment on outcomes of teaching) versus learning abroad (Dewey, 2004, Diaz-Campos, 2004), the latter constituting a fast-growing area of study. Learning environment also means the physical space where formal instruction is carried out (Gabryś-Barker, 2010). But above all, learning environment studies focus on interactions between adults (teachers, parents) and students and show how these relations can affect the latter’s achievement and more generally well-being at school and outside. Thus, it can be seen as mostly affective. This chapter aims to comment on the perceptions pre-service teachers have of a foreign language learning environment, as expressed in their narrative texts on the topic. The data obtained in this study will be compared with the result of a similar study carried out with a group of pre-service EFL teachers in a different cultural setting, in Turkey (Sağlam, Sali, 2013). This should shed some light on whether the trainees’ perceptions are in some way culture-specific and therefore grounded in the educational policies of a given country. The conclusions drawn from the study will hopefully contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to improve FL teachers’ training programmes.
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